


Found You

by maychorian



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Rescue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-11
Updated: 2016-09-11
Packaged: 2018-08-14 11:16:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8011537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maychorian/pseuds/maychorian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At first, finding themselves pulled into a dimension full of magic had seemed kind of fun. Tanaka was a talented soldier, good with a sword, Tsukishima could make magical barriers, and Yamaguchi...Yamaguchi could heal with a touch. But when Yamaguchi is abducted by a powerful warlord to force him to heal a deadly wound, Tanaka and Tsukishima are willing to tear this world apart to get him back.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Found You

**Author's Note:**

> Back in April, I had a dream that was pretty much an entire Haikyuu fantasy AU. I wrote it out and posted it on my tumblr, but never planned to do anything with it. One scene stuck in my mind, though, and I ended up writing it out. I've been sitting on it for months, thinking eventually I might write more and make it into a full-fledged story. But it's pretty clear now that I'm not going to, sorry. Too busy writing Voltron now. However, a lovely person made art of Healer Yamaguchi based on that little post, so I feel compelled to share at least this one-shot with you all. Hope you enjoy.
> 
>  [Healer Yamaguchi](http://maychorian.tumblr.com/post/150264223011/evanings-healer-yamaguchi-inspired-by)

"There." Tsukishima's voice was low. 

Tanaka looked up. He and Tsukishima were crouched at the corner of a lane of tents in the camp city, slowly making their way toward the center where Warlord Uzae had his headquarters. He and Tsukishima had figured that Yamaguchi had to be kept somewhere near the center of things—surely Uzae would want his potential salvation kept close at hand—but this camp was _huge._ How could Tsukishima possibly know for sure?

But Tsukishima looked very certain. His eyes were grim and hard, his jaw firm as he stared at a certain tent just a few tents away from the palace-like thing that housed the warlord. Kneeling this close to him, Tanaka could feel him trembling. Tsukishima wanted to run. He wanted to race to that tent, damn every soldier between here and there, and finally rescue his friend.

Tanaka didn't disagree. But if Tsukishima was going to be like this, it fell to him to keep a level head. Weird.

"How do you know?" Tanaka asked. "It's great that your barrier magic has gotten good enough to let us sneak straight into enemy territory like this, but did it give you clairvoyance, too?"

Tsukishima cast him an irritated glance, then looked back to the tent. "Nothing like that. Look at the guards outside the tent."

Tanaka looked. Oh. It was the only tent anywhere near the warlord that was being guarded by four men. Yeah, of course. Of course Uzae would have a huge contingent of men dedicated to protecting...to trapping...his magic captive. He couldn't take a chance on Yamaguchi escaping.

Tanaka felt his hand clench into a fist. Well, too bad. All of that planning was about to go to waste. He and Tsukki were going to waltz right into the heart of the warlord's stronghold and _take back their friend._

"Can we get around to the back?" Tanaka asked.

Tsukishima's eyes darted here and there, sharp and narrowed. Then he nodded. "I see a route. Follow me."

"I've got your back."

Tsukishima rose to his feet, straight and tall, and Tanaka stood with him. His hand tightened around the hilt of the sword at his waist. He felt the familiar tingle as Tsukishima's magic extended, encompassing Tanaka in his barrier. When they first arrived in this world Tsukishima had barely been able to create walls with his ability. Now he was skilled enough to draw it around himself and others like a cloak, obscuring their presence and allowing them to walk freely in the face of their enemies.

They still needed to be cautious, though. Tsukki's magic was powerful, but it wasn't impenetrable. A particularly good soldier, or strong magic-user, would be able to see past the disguise. Tanaka squared his shoulders and marched at Tsukishima's side as the escort he was pretending to be, looking after the important mage in his fiery red robes.

Tsukishima brushed at the front of his robes as he walked, a fastidious little tic that had made Tanaka laugh at first. Now it was absent-minded, just part of the projection Tsukishima was creating. They wound their way among the tents, not speaking to anyone. Few glanced their way. 

A roundabout path finally took them to the back of the tent where Yamaguchi was being held. Tanaka looked around as they knelt at the canvas wall, but the space they were in basically amounted to an alley, a narrow path in the grass occupied with a supply wagon and little else. Servants and cooks came back here for the supply wagon, no doubt, but no one else would have a reason.

Tanaka let go of his sword and took the dagger from the back of his belt. His knuckles hurt with the force of his grip. He raised his hand to slash at the canvas, and he was shaking with eagerness now, too. How long had it been? Weeks. Far too long. And finally, finally they were here. They were about to get Yamaguchi back.

Even in this extremity, though, Tsukishima had the presence of mind to grab Tanaka's arm. "Wait," he hissed. "Listen."

Tanaka gritted his teeth. Right, yeah. They should pay attention and make sure no one else was in the tent with Yamaguchi when they burst in, or things could very complicated, very quickly. They both bent their ears against the wall, straining to hear.

For a few long, aching moments, Tanaka heard nothing. Except maybe...something that sounded like strained breathing. Then there was a shift of movement inside the tent, the sound of chains clinking against each other. And he heard Yamaguchi's voice. It had been too long, far too long, but he recognized it. Yamaguchi had released a small, choked groan. As if he was in pain.

The dagger in his fist rose again, almost without thought, and this time Tsukishima did not stop him. Tanaka tore a huge, gaping hole in the tent wall, little caring about what noise they might make. Maybe Tsukishima was smart enough to try to mask that, too. Tanaka didn't care. He just wanted to get to Yamaguchi.

As soon as the opening was big enough, Tanaka and Tsukishima both ducked through. And then they went still, staring. The tent was well lit with sunlight through the light fabric of the tent's roof, but Tanaka almost wished it wasn't. The sight was going to be burnt into his brain for the rest of his life.

Yamaguchi was there, all right. He was sitting with his back to the central tent pole. He was chained to it. By the neck. There was an iron collar around his neck, cruelly tight—in a single second as he stood there, unable to move, Tanaka saw him struggle to swallow. The collar was affixed to the pole so Yamaguchi was forced to sit upright, his hands and feet chained in front of him, bent and twisted in what had to be a horribly uncomfortable position.

His face.... His face was covered with bruises. His eyes were puffed almost shut, and his mouth stretched in a grimace as pained breaths whistled out through his clenched teeth. His arms and legs bore dark smudges, red lines, cuts and marks... And burns. They had burned him with something, livid, painful welts on his shins, his forearms...

They had tortured him. Dear God, those bastards had tortured Yamaguchi. Tanaka felt like the breath had been punched out of him. Their friends in the rebel army had warned them, but somehow Tanaka hadn't been able to believe it. Who would torture Yamaguchi? Only a monster. Surely they couldn't...surely no one could... 

But they had.

While Tanaka stood there, frozen in horror, Tsukki was already moving. In two long strides he had reached the middle of the tent where Yamaguchi was chained and knelt down beside him, already reaching out. Yamaguchi watched him come. The pained expression on his face melted into relief. Tanaka watched it happen, and his heart ached so badly that he was afraid it might kill him.

"Tsuk-ki..." Yamaguchi's voice was cracked and broken, barely audible.

"Shh." Tsukishima's voice carried his typical brusqueness, but the tone was strained. His face was stretched into a grimace of rage and pain, and his eyes sparked with fire. Tanaka could have believed that he was about to burst into fire, just like his red robes seemed to advertise. "Don't try to speak. We're here now. You don't have to do anything."

Tsukishima's long, slender fingers found something, some kind of catch at the back of Yamaguchi's collar where he was attached to the pole. It released with an audible click, and Yamaguchi instantly began to slump where he sat, unable to hold himself upright on his own power. Tsukishima's arms moved in response, circling Yamaguchi's shoulders to support him. Yamaguchi leaned toward him as his eyes fluttered. 

"Tsukki..." 

Again that breathy little name, like a whisper of prayer. Tsukishima leaned closer, holding him up, and Yamaguchi's forehead touched Tsukishima's. At that touch, forehead leaning to forehead, a sigh slid out of Yamaguchi's lips. It was relief and thanks and homecoming, and his eyes were fully shut now. Tsukishima's eyes were open. His arms tightened around Yamaguchi, carefully at first, then harder. His fingers clenched in the fabric of Yamaguchi's torn, ragged shirt. His knuckles were white, his hands shaking. Tanaka wouldn't swear to it, but there might have been tears in his eyes.

"Don't say anything, idiot," Tsukishima said again. His voice was choked. "We're here. I'm here. You don't have say anything. We understand."

"Sorry, Tsukki."

"Shut up, Yamaguchi."

And now Tsukishima did close his eyes. He pressed his forehead harder against Yamaguchi's, and for a moment, all tension left his body. This was what he had been craving, what he had been longing for from the very second they realized that Yamaguchi was missing, that he had been taken from them. And now, at long last, he had it.

Tanaka would have liked to leave them for much longer. Hours, if possible. But they didn't even have minutes to spare. With the way these bastards have obviously been pressing Yamaguchi daily to obey their commands, there was no telling when someone would come into the tent to check on him. They had to leave.

Still reluctant despite the urgency beating at the back of his mind, Tanaka sheathed his dagger and slowly crept closer. He cleared his throat, as softly as he dared, and reached out a hand toward Yamaguchi, too. "Um, hey."

Yamaguchi forced his eyes open, though it obviously took great effort, and squinted his eyes to focus on Tanaka. His split, swollen lips curved in a smile. "Senpai. You came too."

"Yeah, of course. Of course I did." Tanaka's hand completed its journey to Yamaguchi, and he carefully laid it on his arm. He tried to pick a spot that wasn't too damaged with bruises and cuts and burns. "I'm so glad to see you again, Yamaguchi-chan. We missed you very much."

Yamaguchi continued to smile, but he didn't seem to have the energy for anything else. His eyes fell shut again, and he leaned limply into Tsukishima's grip. Tsukishima spared the attention to give Tanaka a look.

Tanaka nodded. "Ah, yeah. I'll look for a key. We have to get him out of those chains."

Tsukishima's fingers clutched Yamaguchi even harder at the reminder, but Tanaka was already moving. The tent held very little besides Yamaguchi—he found only a bucket that was probably meant for bodily waste, currently empty, and a few chests and crates. There was no pallet or anything like that, which Tanaka had half-expected to find in a prison cell, not even a blanket on the ground. They must have intended to leave him chained like that all night long.

Tanaka opened the first chest and recoiled. The first thing he saw was a horsewhip, then a poker, blackened on one end in a shape that matched the marks on Yamaguchi’s arms. Instruments of torture? They were keeping instruments of torture in here with their victim? The chest was directly in Yamaguchi's line of sight, too. He must have been forced to look at it whenever he opened his eyes, forced to remember what they would do to him whenever they felt like it.

Tanaka leaned back to the chest and forced himself to look. He needed to see. He needed to understand. A few other...things...were in the chest, though when he glanced back at Yamaguchi, they didn't seem to match any marks on him. Maybe they had just threatened him with those. Tanaka hoped they had just threatened him with those.

The chest also held some extra chains at the bottom. What, did they add more when they moved him from place to place? Yamaguchi would barely be able to stand up under the chains he already bore, especially in his weakened condition. Tanaka dug through them, his fingers aching with the force of his grip, with the weight of the chains. They were cold. They seemed to burn. 

"There's no key here," Tanaka hissed at Tsukishima after a moment. "I'll check the other chests."

"Go ahead. I'm not waiting. One of the guards probably has it." 

Tsukishima's voice was absent-minded. Tanaka spared him a glance and saw that Tsukishima was already working on the lock on Yamaguchi's wrist with some kind of tool. Ah, right. That rebel officer had taught Tsukishima how to pick locks for just such an eventuality. Tanaka had tried to learn, too, but he had not been able to pick it up as easily. It was a good thing Tsukishima was so smart.

Tanaka went back to the chests. He searched through the rest of them, but found nothing useful. Just various supplies, arms and armor, some maps of outlying areas. In the last one, he found some clothes, looked to about page-size, and finally, at the bottom, a blanket. The clothes were too small for Yamaguchi, but the blanket at least...

Tanaka scooped it up and hurried back to his friends. Tsukishima was working with his lockpicks using both hands, now, and Yamaguchi was listing dangerously to the side without his support. Tanaka got there just in time and caught him with an arm around his shoulders. Yamaguchi was much thinner now, and his flesh was cool and shivering. Tanaka wrapped the blanket around his back, and Yamaguchi slid down to rest on his chest. Tanaka knelt there, both arms wrapped around Yamaguchi's upper body to hold the blanket in place, and watched Tsukishima work on the chains.

Tsukishima finally released the ones around Yamaguchi's wrists, but that chain was still connected to the one around his ankles. Yamaguchi wouldn't have been able to even stand upright, the chain between his wrists and ankles was so short. His captors had found every opportunity to make him suffer as much as possible. Tsukishima made a noise of disgust in the back of his throat and shifted the chain aside so it at least rested on the ground, not on Yamaguchi’s legs, then moved down to the lock around his ankle.

Tanaka felt the weight of the collar where Yamaguchi's head rested under his chin. It seemed to press into his chest even with the layers of cloth between it and his skin. His flesh crawled at the sensation. It must be a thousand times worse for Yamaguchi.

Tanaka's arms tightened around his kouhai. "I wish you could heal yourself," he muttered. That had been the biggest disappointment about Yamaguchi's magical healing powers. It didn't seem fair. But Tanaka had to admit that it did seem to suit Yamaguchi's character. He was the kind who gave much more than he took, always had been.

It was unforgivable that the monsters of this world had sought to take advantage of Yamaguchi's kindness and generosity. If Tanaka had the ability, he would send them all to hell. 

Yamaguchi just sighed, little more than a breath of air. "It doesn't matter. I'm all right now. I knew you would come."

Tanaka grimaced at how terrible his voice sounded. He cradled Yamaguchi against himself as gently as he could. "I'm glad you have so much faith in us. No worries. You've been fighting for a long time, and you've done an amazing job. You're so cool, Yama-chan, I can never make you understand just how cool you are. But you can rest now. Tsukki and I will take it from here."

Tsukishima released the lock on Yamaguchi's legs and pushed the entire bundle of chains away, barely touching them, his mouth pulled down in hatred for the horrible things.

"The collar?" Tanaka asked.

Tsukishima shook his head. "There's no lock. They must have forged it to his neck. We'll have to find a blacksmith."

Tanaka swallowed, hating that Yamaguchi would have to bear that weight for even another few hours. But this world's Asahi would no doubt do a very careful job of removing the collar as soon as they got back to the rebel camp.

Tsukishima looked to Yamaguchi. Tanaka could see the question on his face, but he already knew the answer. When Tsukishima opened his mouth, Tanaka shook his head. "He can't stand. Let's not try to make him. I'll carry him out of here."

"I can stand," Yamaguchi protested.

Tsukishima looked at him.

"I can try," he amended in a smaller voice.

Tsukishima shook his head and looked back to Tanaka. "I'll carry him. I'll still be able to use my magic with my hands full, but you have to be free to use your sword if necessary."

Tanaka made a low grumble of displeasure, but it was true, so he couldn't really object. He wanted to carry Yamaguchi, though. He wanted to be close enough to feel him, to make sure he was really there, all the way back to the rebel army.

He couldn't blame Tsukishima for feeling the same way.

A noise outside the tent had both Tanaka and Tsukishima stiffening and raising their heads. For a moment they knelt there in silence, hands starting to creep toward their weapons. But after a bit it became clear that the noise had nothing to do with them. None of the guards even checked on them.

Tsukishima let his shoulders relax again as he turned back. He gave Tanaka a significant look. They needed to leave. Tanaka nodded. Tsukishima turned his back to them, holding his arms behind him to receive his precious burden.

Yamaguchi started to get up on his knees so he could climb on Tsukishima's back, but even that was more than he could do. He began to shake almost immediately, and he fell back against Tanaka's chest with a groan. Tanaka reaffirmed his grip on him, then started to shift them both toward Tsukishima. "It's all right," he said. "I said we've got it from here, didn't I? We'll take care of it. We'll take care of everything."

But when he started to lift Yamaguchi away from his chest, he couldn't. Yamaguchi had latched a hand into the front of Tanaka's shirt and was holding on with all his strength. Tanaka paused in costernation. One arm remained wrapped around Yamaguchi's back, holding him up. His other hand reached for the hand wrapped in his shirt, though he wasn't sure what he was going to do. Try to make him let go? That seemed too cruel.

Then he realized that Yamaguchi was shaking even harder than he had been just a few moments ago. His head was bowed so his face was hidden from Tanaka's sight, but his shoulders were heaving. And then Tanaka heard a muffled little sob, and his heart almost broke.

"Oh, no," he murmured, his voice catching. "Oh, Yama-chan, no. Please don't cry."

"I'm sorry." Yamaguchi's voice was low and broken. Even as close as he was, Tanaka had to bend closer to catch the words. "I can't..."

Tsukishima turned around to look at them again. His face was drawn in pain. Tanaka's hand closed over Yamaguchi’s hand, clenched in his shirt. He did not try to loosen his grip, just covered Yamaguchi’s fist with his own. Tsukishima reached out too, the movement swift and instinctive. His hand fell into Yamaguchi's dirty, matted hair. And it stayed there.

Yamaguchi struggled for breath. "I don't..." Tanaka and Tsukishima both gave themselves over to listening, to understanding what Yamaguchi was trying to say through his stifled sobs. "I don't know if this is real..."

Tanaka pressed Yamaguchi’s hand in his, his arm wrapping more firmly around Yamaguchi's back. "It's real." He tried to make his voice steady and confident. "We're here."

"I dreamed this," Yamaguchi whispered. "So many times. I dreamed of rescue. Of Tsukki and Tanaka-san coming from me, one or the other or both. What if you disappear when I open my eyes?"

Tanaka tried to swallow. It was difficult. "We won't." It was a promise, and he meant it with everything he had in him. He hoped Yamaguchi could feel that. "We won't disappear. We're here for you. We're going to get you out. You're safe now."

"Yamaguchi." Tsukishima's voice was somehow steadier than Tanaka's. Tanaka wasn't sure how that could be possible. He looked up and stared at Tsukishima's face, trying to take it in.

Tsukishima's face was almost blank, but Tanaka could read the pain in his eyes. Hadn't he seen it often enough over the past few weeks?

"Yamaguchi, open your eyes. Look at me."

Yamaguchi shivered and half-turned his face into Tanaka's chest as if hiding. "No, please. Don't make me."

"Yamaguchi." Tsukishima's free hand reached for Yamaguchi's face. He cupped the cheek pressed into Tanaka's chest and carefully tried to turn his head toward him again. "Look at me. I won't disappear. We're here. It's not a dream."

"Please, Tsukki. Don't..."

Tanaka wanted to cry. He looked up at the ceiling as if he would find strength there, then forced himself to look at his kouhai again. It hurt. It hurt badly to hear Yamaguchi like that, to hear him begging. Begging for them to be real, to not be dream, begging for them to rescue him in actuality instead of in hopeless fantasy.

"Tadashi." Tsukishima swallowed, and his voice, already low, fell even further. "I'm asking you. Please. Open your eyes. Open your eyes and look at me."

It was the "please" that did it. Tanaka would bet that it was a word that even Yamaguchi only heard from Tsukishima once in a very great while. After a moment, he began to lift his head. Just a little, a centimeter at a time.

Tanaka still couldn't see his face. But he knew the moment Yamaguchi opened his eyes and looked at Tsukishima, his eyes no doubt damp and reddened, cheeks streaked with tears. He saw Tsukishima look back at Yamaguchi, saw the relief when Yamaguchi's eyelids finally cracked. He saw Tsukishima smile.

"There. You see? We're here. Everything is going to be all right. You're safe now."

Tanaka felt Yamaguchi nod, slow and sluggish. Then he let go of Tanaka's shirt and began to reach out, his hand trembling the air. His fingers squeezed together in a childlike gesture of want, and his other hand lifted, too, reaching for Tsukishima.

Tsukishima didn't hesitate. He reached back. Yamaguchi's arms twined around his neck, then squeezed with all the strength he had left. Yamaguchi pressed his face into the side of Tsukishima's neck and hid there, shaking all over, still fighting down his sobs. Tsukishima's arms wrapped around him return, holding Yamaguchi warm and close and safe. For a moment they rested, holding on to each other, Yamaguchi and Tsukishima.

They needed to leave. So far no one had heard the noise and come in to investigate, but that state of affairs could not possibly hold. Tanaka knew they could not afford the delay. If their advantage of secrecy was lost, Tanaka and Tsukishima might well end up captured right along with Yamaguchi.

Tanaka said nothing of this. After a moment, he reached out and placed a hand on both of their shoulders. He wanted to wrap his arms around both of them and just hold on, but he knew this was not for him. He didn't want to intrude; he just wanted to remind them of his presence.

"Tsukki..." Tanaka kept his voice low, but urgency ached in his tone.

"I know," Tsukishima murmured. "I know. Just...a few seconds."

It was Yamaguchi who drew back, shaky and exhausted and with tears in his eyes. But he was smiling, tremulous and weak as it was. "I'm ready to leave. Please, Tsukki, Tanaka-san. I want to leave."

Tanaka and Tsukishima were happy to oblige.


End file.
